Shipping box for burial caskets



Sept: 187 F. C. ENDERLE A- SHIPPING BOX FOR BURIAL CASKEIS I Filed Manch 14, 1933 i I l l l l l Al l l l l 4 INVENTOR /E/wf? 770/ /9 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES FFCE Frank C. Enderle,

Application March 14,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a box for enclosing a burial casket that holds a body.

Such boxes are usually required to be provided by law, for the accommodation of the casket during transit, as on a train. Furthermore, the further requirement is made that these enclosing boxes be either made from metal, or have a metal lining, and they must be sealed. y

These boxes have usually been provided of general rectangular form, having suicient space to accommodate the casket. Since caskets are of varied design and form, it is apparent that the enclosing box must be made roomy enough to accommodate any of them. However, it is important to hold the casket rmly in the box against relative movement, for otherwise the jolts and jars encountered during transit would cause the casket to move so violently against the walls oi the box as to injure the box greatly.

It is one of the objects of this invention to pro- Vide a shipping box in which the casket can be quickly securely fastened, irrespective of itsv size or shape.

It is another object of the invention to provide a readily adjustable clamping device in a box of this character, for holding the casket securely against movement relative to the box.k

My invention possesses many other advantages,v

and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of my invention. For this purpose I have shown a form in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specication. I shall now proceed to describe this form in detail, which illustrates the general principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of my invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a box incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along plane 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along plane 3 3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the cover and the base of the box may be secured together.

In the present instance there is shown a metal box, although boxes of other materials might be used. This box includes a base 1, and a cover 2. Located within the box as indicated by dot and dash lines, is a casket 3 of conventional form. The base 2 is shown in the present instance as Los Angeles,V Calif.

1933, Serial No. 660,613

having an upright iiange 4 extending completely around the edge thereof, whereby the main portion of base 1 rests clear of the ground. The flange 4 is extended to form a horizontal edge or ange 5. The cover 2 is arranged to telescope over the upright iiange ll, and is also provided with a horizontal iange 6 overlying the flange 5 of the base l. As is usual, a yielding gasket 7 can be interposed between the flanges 5 and 6; and the base 1 and cover 2 can be releasably sealed as by the aid of a number of spring clamps 3. Each of these spring clamps can be appropriately pivoted on one of the two flanges 5 or 6, and can be provided with a U-shaped end 9, having resilient legs closely embracing the two anges 5 and 6, when the spring clamps 8 are rotated to lie in alinement with the flanges. Furthermore, the cover 2 can be provided with a number or handles 10 at the ends and along the sides oi the cover whereby the box can beY carried.

The casket 3 is arranged to rest directly on the base 1. In order to insure that it will be properly restrained within the box formedV by the base 1 and cover 2, it is essential to prevent relative inotion between the base 1 and the casket 3. This result is accomplished by adjustable clamping bars and members, which can be accommodated to varying sizes and shapes ci caskets. For example, clamping bar 11 can be placed crosswise of the base 1 at each end thereof. This clamping bar can be in the form of an angle iron, the upright iiange of which is arranged to engage the end walls of the casket. These clamping bars 11 are furthermore adjustably supported on the base 1, so that they can be moved and held tightly against the casket 3.

One way in which this adjustable support can be accomplished is indicated most clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Thus a series of bars l2 is provided. Each of the bars 12 is pivoted at one extremity, adjacent the corners of the base 1, as by the aid. of pins 13. The free end of each bar 12 accommodates a screw 14 rigidly fastened to the end of the bar and projecting respectively through slots 15 or any of a series of holes in the clamping bar 11. The bars 12 can be kept in tightened position in the grooves 15 as by the aid of wing nuts 16 and lock washers 17.

It is apparent that clamping bar 11 can be moved in a direction longitudinally of the box by loosening the nuts 16 and moving the bars 12 about the pivoted pins 13. These clamping bars thus can be moved against the ends of the casket 3 and held tightly against these ends by tightening the nuts 16. Since there is a wide range oi movement provided for the clamping bar 11 it is apparent that varying sizes and shapes of caskets 3 can be held in this manner against movement longitudinally of the box.

In order to restrain the casket 3 against side- Wise movement, additional clamping members can be provided. Thus for example, each of the clamping bars l1 can support at each of its ends a clamping member 17. Each of these members is in the form of an angle iron. It can be adjustably supported on the clamping bar 11 as by a bolt and nut 18 passing through slot 19 in the vertical ange of the clamping bar 11, and also passing through an aperture in one of the flanges of the member 17. It is apparent therefore that the clamping member 17 can be moved transversely of the bar l1 against the sides of the casket 3, in which clamping position they may be f held by appropriate tightening or" the wing nuts 20.

The slots 19 thus provide for adjustment of the clamping member 17 to varying Widths of the caskets. The clamping members 17' thus provide a restraint against transverse motion of the casket 3 during transit.

The manner of use of the devise is apparent from the foregoing. With wing nuts 16 and 2i) loosened, and the clamping bars 11 and clamping members 17 retracted, the casket can be placed directly upon the base 1. Then the clampbars 11 can be moved up against the` ends of the casket and the nuts 16 tightened. When this is accomplished, the clamping members 1'7 can be moved toward each other to engage the sides of the casket; and then the nuts 20 can be tightened.

I claim:

1. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, aY pair` of clamping bars respectively adjacent opposite edges cf the base for engaging the Walls of the casket, and means for adjustably supporting said bars on the base.

2. In a box for shipping burial Gaskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, a pair of clamping bars respectively adjacent opposite edges of the base for engaging the walls of the casket, a pair of bars pivoted at one end to the base, and means for adjustably fastening the other ends of the pivoted bars to the clamping bar. Y

3. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, a pair of clamping bars respectively adjacent opposite edges of the base for engaging the Walls of the casket, a pair of bars pivoted at one end to the base, each of said clamping bars having a slot, and means engaging in the slot for adjustably fastening the other ends of the pivoted bars to the clamping bars.

4. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, and a clamping bar adjacent one edge of the base for engaging a Wall of the casket, and means for adjustably supporting said bar on the base.

5. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, a pair of clamping bars respectively adjacent opposite edges of the base for engaging the walls of the casket, means :for adjustably supporting said bars on the base, and clamping members adjustably supported adjacent each end of the bar for engaging the walls of the casket.

6. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, a pair of clamping bars respectively adjacent opposite edges of the base for engaging the Walls of the casket, a pair of bars pivoted at one end to the base, means for adjustably fastening the other ends of the pivoted bars to the clamping bar, and clamping members adjustably supported adja cent each end of the bar for engaging the Walls of the casket. Y v

'7. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which'a casket is adapted to rest, a pair of clamping bars respectively adjacent opposite edges of the base for engaging the walls of the casket, a pair of bars pivoted at one end to the base, each of said clamping bars having a slot, means engaging in the slot for adjustably fastening the other ends of the pivoted bars to the clamping bar, Aand clamping members adjustably supported adjacent each end of the bar for engaging the Walls of the casket.

8. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, a clamping bar adjacent one edge of the base for engag ing a lWall of the casket,means for adjustably supporting said bar on the base, and clamping members adjustably supported adjacent each end of the bar for engaging the Walls of the casket.

9. In a box for shipping burial caskets, a base upon which a casket is adapted to rest, a clamp-v ing bar adjacent one edge of the base for engaging a Wall of the casket, means for adjustably supporting said bar on the base, said clamping bar having a slot adjacent each of its ends, and a clamping member adjustably supported by the aid of the slot, at each end of the bar, for engaging a wall of the casket.

FRANK C. ENDERLE. 

